There’s a buzz in the air as Sauber, now known as Audi, considers Valtteri Bottas as a potential teammate for Nico Hülkenberg. However, this decision has sparked some controversy. If Bottas joins the team, currently racing under the name Stake F1, the driver duo’s combined age would be 72 years. Critics have jokingly referred to Sauber-Audi as a “retirement home”.
Bottas is currently 35 years old, while Hülkenberg is 37. It’s highly likely that they will start the 2025 season as teammates. Although the final decision has not been made, according to Swiss reporter Roger Benoit, Bottas already has a contract extension for next year. Benoit, writing for Blick, a newspaper from Sauber’s home country Switzerland, refers to the team as a Seniorenheim, or retirement home. He quips, “Apparently, Sauber-Audi wants to compete with a 72-year-old duo.”
There’s also a chance that a South American driver might join the team. The potential candidates are Gabriel Bortoleto from Brazil or Franco Colapinto from Argentina. Bortoleto, a junior driver from McLaren, is making waves in Formula 2. On the other hand, Colapinto is currently a Formula 1 driver for Williams and recently scored points at the Singapore Grand Prix.
